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Sunday, September 07, 2008

Video - Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign

Here's a bit of news: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the very first march for the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign. Working to eradicate poverty in America and throughout the world was his great crusade, and was the crusade of the civil rights' era.

This video includes peaceful demonstrators, including Vietnam and Iraqi War vets, marching through the streets of downtown St. Paul, and of course the violent reactions by riot police and stormtroopers.

It should, by this point, be clear that charges of "violent protesters," "anarchists," and "looters" are little more than excuses by police to disrupt, assault, and arrest law-abiding citizens. Every person marching is fully committed to changing their nation through Dr. King's gospel of nonviolence. We shouldn't be surprised when the police respond with the same unjustified violence. Martin Luther King was accused of instigating riots every day of his life.

Learn your history. Arm yourself with knowledge. Read the writings of Dr. King and the civil rights movement. This is how the rights of every American were won. This is how you defend your freedoms and the freedoms of those around you. Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.*

Update 5:35pm: This second video features the raw, unedited footage of the police riot in St. Paul. I should also point out something very important that I don't know is widely known. When the police give order to the crowd to withdraw (as they claim, although most of these people heard nothing), they had also blocked all streets and alleys. In other words, the demonstrators were trapped. They didn't disburse because there simply was nowhere to disburse to.

Stormtroopers had cut off all routes of escape, and hurled grenades and tear gas at anyone who came near. Great job to Marta and her cameraman Brian for covering this event, and filming as much as they could. And she is absolutely right - this doesn't feel like America to me, either.